Bridge lamp and a diffusing bowl therefor



- .YI. k. bnLLni, JR 2.247,771

I BRIDGE LAMP AND A DIFFUSING BOWL THEREFOR Filed Doc. 20, 1939 Irfivefitov: John RGrellinJrT, I

HIS Attorneg.

Patented July 1, 1941 BRIDGE LAMP AND A DIFFUSING nowi;

THEREFOR John R. Crellin, J12, Meriden, Conn, assignor to General Electric Company, a. corporation of New York Application December 20, 1939, Serial No. 310,251

3 Claims.

My invention relates to lamps and more particularly to bridge lamps.

It is an object of my invention to provide an electric lamp so constructed as to have all of the advantages of semi-indirect lighting without detracting from the normal appearance of the lamp.

Another object of my invention is to provide a simple and inexpensive means by which conventional bridge lamps may be converted into semiindirect lighting lamps. Other objects will appear from the following description and appended claims when considered together with the accompanying drawing in which Fig. 1 is a view of the assembled lamp with the shade partially cut away to show the position of the diffusing bowl; Fig. 2 is an enlarged fragmentary view in elevation showing particularly the manner of assembly of the diffusing bowl with its supporting means; and Fig. 3 is a top View taken along the line 33 of Fig. 1.

In Fig. 1, I have shown one form of lamp comprising supporting column I, bridge arm 2, lamp socket 3 including appropriate supporting and decorative features, lamp shade 4 and light-diffusing bowl 5.

The usual supporting means for shade 4 includes a ring 6 on which is mounted a plurality of brace wires 1 radially extending therefrom. The extended ends of these brace wires are secured to a shade supporting wire ring 8 which flanged rim l I which cooperates with a supporting means l2 to hold the bowl in the desired position as will be more fully described. This bowlsupporting means is in the form of a spider clip comprising a collar I3.of thin sheet metal which surrounds the lamp socket 3 below shoulder l0 1 and a plurality of spring fingers i4 rigidly secured to the collar and extending radially therefrom in a slightly depending position with respect to the plane of said collar. The ends of the fiat spring fingers are formed with depending hooks a l5 which are adapted to engage the rim of the bowl 5 when in assembled position to hold the latter in place.

Except for the diffusion bowl and supporting means therefor, the construction of my improved lamp is substantially that found in most floor lamps of the bridge type and because of the novel construction of the supporting means and diffusion bowl, any ordinary bridge lamp, the shade of which is detachably mounted on a depending lamp socket, may be converted from a direct to a semi-indirect lighting fixture by means of my invention as follows:

To equip an ordinary bridge lamp therewith, the lamp shade is removed from the socket and the bowl-supporting means [2 is slipped over the screw threads of the lamp socket until it comes in contact with the shoulder Ill. The shade is then attached to the socket so as to hold the collar I3 against the shoulder of the lamp socket. When so assembled, the hooked ends l5 of spring fingers I4 are in substantially the same plane as shade-supporting brace wires 1. To attach the bowl, the hooked ends of the spring fingers are pressed below the plane of the shade brace wires 1 to permit insertion of rim l l of the diffusing bowl into the hooked ends of the spring fingers I4. When pressure is released, the spring fingers tend to assume their normal position thereby pulling the upper and open end of diffusing bowl 5 firmly against brace wires 1.

The bowl 5 of my invention may be made from any suitable material, preferably, a white or light colored synthetic resinous molding composition such as a urea-formaldehyde molding material. Because of its construction and location, the bowl directs a considerable portion of the light rays emitted from a bulb placed in socket 3, upwardly. Those light rays passing downwardly through the bowl are diffused to produce that desirable type of illumination obtained from more expensive semi-indirect lighting fixtures.

What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. A lamp of the bridge type comprising a bridge arm, a lamp socket suspended therefrom, said lamp socket having a shoulder thereon, a shade including supporting means therefor, said shade-supporting means being detachably mounted on said lamp socket, a light-diffusing bowl within said shade, the upper and open end of said diffusing bowl bearing against said shade-supporting means, bowl-supporting means comprising a collar removably mounted on said lamp socket between said lamp socket shoulder and said shade-supporting means, a plurality of spring members fastened at one end to said collar and extending radially outward and engaging the upper end of said diffusing bowl to hold said diffusing bowl firmly in position in contact with said shade-supporting means.

2. In combination with a lamp comprising a lamp socket and a shade-supporting means detachably engaging said lamp socket, a device for converting said lamp into a semi-indirect lighting fixture, said device comprising a light-diffusing bowl of translucent material and means for supporting said bowl including a collar mounted on said socket above and in contact with said shade supporting means, and a plurality of flat spring fingers extending radially outward from said collar to engage detachably the rim of said bowl, said fingers holding the upper and open end of said bowl in contact with said shade-supporting means.

3. In combination with a lighting fixture comprising a lamp socket and a. shade support detachably mounted thereon, a light-diffusing bowl and means for supporting said bowl, said bowlsupporting means including a collar mounted on the lamp socket above the shade support and a plurality of spring fingers radially extending therefrom and resiliently engaging said bowl to hold the upper and open end of said bowl in contact with said shade support.

JOHN R. CRELLIN, JR. 

